Asset Forfeiture Unit obtains preservation order in illegal mining case
The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the North West has secured a preservation order relating to about 39,058 tonnes of gold-bearing material (GBM) valued at an estimated R16m.
The material is alleged to be the proceeds of unlawful activities and instrumentalities of offences. The order was granted by the North West High Court on Friday.
'The order follows investigations into illegal mining operations between 2016 and 2020. During this period, certain suspects and entities reportedly transported GBM from a dormant mine to a processing plant in Stilfontein, Klerksdorp, where it was refined, contravening the Precious Metals Act,' NPA spokesperson Sivenathi Gunya said.
The suspects allegedly operated without a valid refining licence. The accused had been arrested and are expected to appear in court on July 2.
'The NPA welcomes the court's decision, which marks a significant step in the fight against illegal mining.'
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Daily Maverick
an hour ago
- Daily Maverick
‘A refuge for the connected' — ActionSA slams NPA, calls for Batohi's removal
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'Supported by victims of the NPA's failure to ensure that our criminal justice system protects the public and tackles rampant lawlessness, ActionSA's demand for the removal of advocate Batohi rests on the lived experiences of those who have been failed by a prosecuting body clearly incapable of fulfilling its mandate.' Batohi has faced criticism after several State Capture cases have been thrown out of court. ActionSA supporters emphasised the Timothy Omotoso case, with the Nigerian televangelist walking free in April after being cleared of all 32 charges – including rape and human trafficking. Hlengiwe Zondi, 23, an ActionSA supporter who arrived from Johannesburg, told Daily Maverick that she attended Thursday's protest because she was concerned about what the Omotoso case meant for her own safety. 'I am very scared. I am very scared for myself, for my younger sisters. I am scared for every single girl. 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Omotoso left the country in May and was declared a prohibited person for overstaying his visa and entering SA on a false permit. 'Batohi must go. We need somebody new, hopefully with a much clearer vision and guts,' Tisietso Mofokeng, 39, from the East Rand, said on Thursday. The ActionSA leaders said that while Batohi's 2018 appointment was met with hope that the NPA would move past an era defined by State Capture, 'that hope has curdled into deep public disillusionment'. 'The institution remains directionless, riven by internal factionalism, and wholly unable, or unwilling, to act decisively against either high-level corruption or pervasive violent crime. 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IOL News
12 hours ago
- IOL News
NPA has four months to prepare closing argument's on Luthuli's inquest
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Those who testified included South African Police (SAPS) members, Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) officials, scene reconstruction and simulation experts, forensic analysts, medical evidence, family members of Chief Luthuli, anti-apartheid activists, and friends of Luthuli. Former justice minister Jeff Radebe also testified. The matter was postponed from June 11 to October 13, where the advocates would be given until October 16 to give closing arguments. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The same court also postponed on June 17 the inquest on the death of another struggle stalwart, Griffiths Mxenge, who was killed by stabbing in Umlazi on November 19, 1981, to October 9. The Mxenge matter was first postponed on 14 April to give those who felt they might be implicated in his death, who were apartheid police officers at the time, a chance to apply for the government to provide them with legal representatives, as they were employed by the state when Mxenge was killed. The court first postponed Mxenge's matter to June 17, which was the holding date to establish if the officers had succeeded in finding lawyers. On their return on June 17, the court heard that their applications to have the state-provided lawyers were still pending. Since the beginning of Luthuli's inquiry, scores of Luthuli's family members, ANC leaders and supporters have been frequenting the court to hear what caused the death of the president-general of Africa's biggest liberation movement and the Nobel Peace Prize winner. Luthuli died at the age of 69 at the Stanger Hospital on July 21, 1967, hours after he was found with multiple head and upper-body injuries at the railway line Mvoti River bridge. The inquest heard that even his death at the hospital was questionable because he was not afforded proper medical attention that could have saved his life. The NPA instituted an inquiry as there were beliefs that the initial inquest conducted in September 1969 misled the public about the cause of his death. Magistrate C.I. Boswell, who presided over the inquest at the Stanger Magistrate's Court, had concluded that Luthuli had been hit by the goods steam train that was traveling to Durban as he was crossing the bridge to his sugarcane farm. The report indicated that Luthuli might not have heard the train hooting or seen it coming, despite that it was approaching him from the front. Another theory was that Luthuli deliberately ignored the train to kill himself. 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Dunywa stated that Boswell communicated his written opinion to the Secretary of Justice that 'I had to report that an inquest in connection with the death of Albert John Luthuli will be held at Stanger by me on 19 September 1967 at 10 am. 'From the report available at present, I do not expect the finding to be anything other than accidental. The cause of death furnished by the district sergeant might be questioned by the relatives, but I can not anticipate on what grounds the dispute is raised."
The Herald
12 hours ago
- The Herald
90 people found living in Houghton property meant for single family
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